you know I just read allegiance, and while It's completely unrelated, I found a connection to Mara and Mace Windu, since if she's the sacrifice it'd be safe to assume it's along the lines of how Anakin killed master Windu. When she first draws her lightsaber in Allegiance, she recalls how Palpatine had told her only one jedi in the past century had carried a blade that color, and how he had given her the crystal for it. She said she couldn't recall how he had gotten it. So basically, it leads you to the conclusion that her original lightsaber carried the same heart as master Windu's. Maybe Zahn was dropping a hint at how one of his favorite creations was going to meet her end.

One thing that occurs to me is that the discussion currently fails to seperate two events:

- Jacen's sacrifice (which will happen)

- a major character death (which is also a given)

So, even if Mara or Luke die, they do not need to explain this as Jacen's sacrifice. That might be Tenel Ka, for example.

Cletus1901 said:

you know I just read allegiance, and while It's completely unrelated, I found a connection to Mara and Mace Windu, since if she's the sacrifice it'd be safe to assume it's along the lines of how Anakin killed master Windu. When she first draws her lightsaber in Allegiance, she recalls how Palpatine had told her only one jedi in the past century had carried a blade that color, and how he had given her the crystal for it. She said she couldn't recall how he had gotten it. So basically, it leads you to the conclusion that her original lightsaber carried the same heart as master Windu's. Maybe Zahn was dropping a hint at how one of his favorite creations was going to meet her end.

Click to expand...

The Mara/Mace-lightsaber connection is there, and I can see Mara going out in such a way. But I wouldn't say that Zahn had this planned; he just made the obvious connection based on lightsaber colours (and remember that Mara doesn't have that purple lightsaber anymore). I'd rather argue that DR were inspired to add up the pieces to a ep3-like scene.
What would be funny would be that Anakin's lightsaber would be the victim, not the aggressor.
[link=http://boards.theforce.net/literature/b10003/26100390/p1]Here's info[/link] from someone who talked to Zahn:

Coonsan said:

-He doesn't get consulted about his character or anything. Mara could be killed and he would have no idea. Once he writes something, it becomes property of Lucas. [...]
-That in Allegiance, he wanted mara's lightsaber to be Mace's, but they edited it out.

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I don't know whether Lumiya would want another proof of loyalty as Jacen's already killed a Jedi for the sake of the Sith idea, plus he was already willing to sacrifice Luke and/or Lumiya in Tempest, which shows that he has no loyalty except for the way of the Sith. I could see Jacen killing her, though, due to circumstances. When he then says it was his sacrifice Lumiya would frown at him and demand a true sacrifice which would then be Tenel Ka or someone like that.
They could even have Han and Leia babysit Allana so that Jacen doesn't get to her... But that sounds more like a Denning story after all. So maybe Denning will deal with the Darth Who/Tenel Ka issue in Inferno?

Thrawn McEwok said:

Rampant speculation, though... the absence of any other real reference to Luke is suspicious, and the underlying mood of the scene could fit

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Darth_Lex said:

Maybe Karen wrote the husbands in Bloodlines and the wives in Sacrifice.

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I didn't listen to the audio excerpt more than once and I didn't pay all that much attention to detail, but here's the real rampant speculation...
Mara is out for revenge on Lumiya. Where is Luke? Leia is out for revenge on Alema. Where's Han?
Heard it here first!

you know I just read allegiance, and while It's completely unrelated, I found a connection to Mara and Mace Windu, since if she's the sacrifice it'd be safe to assume it's along the lines of how Anakin killed master Windu. When she first draws her lightsaber in Allegiance, she recalls how Palpatine had told her only one jedi in the past century had carried a blade that color, and how he had given her the crystal for it. She said she couldn't recall how he had gotten it. So basically, it leads you to the conclusion that her original lightsaber carried the same heart as master Windu's. Maybe Zahn was dropping a hint at how one of his favorite creations was going to meet her end.

Click to expand...

Zahn wanted it to be Mace Windu's lightsaber/crystal that Mara was given, but was told to change it by the editors. This was reported from Zahn's Lexington, KY book signing for Allegiance. Enough implication is there to make us all wonder, but it's not Mace's.

you know I just read allegiance, and while It's completely unrelated, I found a connection to Mara and Mace Windu, since if she's the sacrifice it'd be safe to assume it's along the lines of how Anakin killed master Windu. When she first draws her lightsaber in Allegiance, she recalls how Palpatine had told her only one jedi in the past century had carried a blade that color, and how he had given her the crystal for it. She said she couldn't recall how he had gotten it. So basically, it leads you to the conclusion that her original lightsaber carried the same heart as master Windu's. Maybe Zahn was dropping a hint at how one of his favorite creations was going to meet her end.

Click to expand...

Zahn wanted it to be Mace Windu's lightsaber/crystal that Mara was given, but was told to change it by the editors. This was reported from Zahn's Lexington, KY book signing for Allegiance. Enough implication is there to make us all wonder, but it's not Mace's.

Click to expand...

And didn't alligence come out 3 or 4 months ago? Hmmm, interesting. Though I doubt she will be killed like Mace. If it's between Lumiya and Mara, I don't think Jacen is going to have trouble deciding who to kill.

But does Jacen even meet Mara in this book? The audio excerpt gives the idea that Mara expects to meet him soon, but it could well be that they never meet. Mara could end up facing Lumiya somewhere and at the same time Jacen could be back on Coruscant - with Ben and Luke. And Jacen probably is on Coruscant during the excerpt - who else could have teached Ben to do what he did? So it could be that Mara faces succesfully Lumiya and kills her, and at the same time Jacen kills Luke.

This series is, after all, a copy of PT. And so we would have Grand Master Luke, just like Grand Master Yoda on Coruscant facing Jacen, who would have the role of Palpatine, and Mara would be Obi-wan who would go and face her version of Anakin, in this case Lumiya. And as former Hands of the Emperors they too in some way are "sisters"... In this case the Sith on Coruscant would yet again win, but this time the Grand Master would die, and not escape. Mara could then kill Lumiya - or, if they want to do this with a twist, die also.

or....the sacrifice could be the conclusion, where Mara finally finds Lumiya, and Jacen comes across them. Jacen then kills Mara to keep his secret safe, and to fully go over to the Sith. I don't think luke will die in this one. IF he does die, it'll be in the final book. And I don't think Jacen will be revealed as a sith to the Jedi until Revelation, which is the second to last book. Unless there's some bigger secret to be revealed.